High Invasive Pollen Transfer, Yet Low Deposition on Native Stigmas in a Carpobrotus-invaded Community

@article{citeulike:2987791, abstract = {Background and AimsInvasive plants are potential agents of disruption in plant-pollinator interactions. They may affect pollinator visitation rates to native plants and modify the plant-pollinator interaction network. However, there is little information about the extent to which invasive pollen is incorporated into the pollination network and about the rates of invasive pollen deposition on the stigmas of native plants. MethodsThe degree of pollinator sharing between the invasive plant Carpobrotus affine acinaciformis and the main co-flowering native plants was tested in a Mediterranean coastal shrubland. Pollen loads were identified from the bodies of the ten most common pollinator species and stigmatic pollen deposition in the five most common native plant species. Key ResultsIt was found that pollinators visited Carpobrotus extensively. Seventy-three per cent of pollinator specimens collected on native plants carried Carpobrotus pollen. On average 23 \% of the pollen on the bodies of pollinators visiting native plants was Carpobrotus. However, most of the pollen found on the body of pollinators belonged to the species on which they were collected. Similarly, most pollen on native plant stigmas was conspecific. Invasive pollen was present on native plant stigmas, but in low quantity. Conclusions Carpobrotusis highly integrated in the pollen transport network. However, the plant-pollination network in the invaded community seems to be sufficiently robust to withstand the impacts of the presence of alien pollen on native plant pollination, as shown by the low levels of heterospecific pollen deposition on native stigmas. Several mechanisms are discussed for the low invasive pollen deposition on native stigmas. 10.1093/aob/mcn109}, author = {Bartomeus, Ignasi and Bosch, Jordi and Vila, Montserrat }, citeulike-article-id = {2987791}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcn109}, journal = {Ann Bot}, keywords = {bartomeus, invasive\_plants, plant\_animal\_interactions, pollination}, month = {June}, pages = {mcn109+}, posted-at = {2008-07-11 11:38:35}, priority = {2}, title = {High Invasive Pollen Transfer, Yet Low Deposition on Native Stigmas in a Carpobrotus-invaded Community}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcn109}, year = {2008} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:2987791 L3 - citeulike-article-id:2987791 TI - High Invasive Pollen Transfer, Yet Low Deposition on Native Stigmas in a Carpobrotus-invaded Community JF - Ann Bot SP - mcn109 N2 - Background and AimsInvasive plants are potential agents of disruption in plant-pollinator interactions. They may affect pollinator visitation rates to native plants and modify the plant-pollinator interaction network. However, there is little information about the extent to which invasive pollen is incorporated into the pollination network and about the rates of invasive pollen deposition on the stigmas of native plants. MethodsThe degree of pollinator sharing between the invasive plant Carpobrotus affine acinaciformis and the main co-flowering native plants was tested in a Mediterranean coastal shrubland. Pollen loads were identified from the bodies of the ten most common pollinator species and stigmatic pollen deposition in the five most common native plant species. Key ResultsIt was found that pollinators visited Carpobrotus extensively. Seventy-three per cent of pollinator specimens collected on native plants carried Carpobrotus pollen. On average 23 % of the pollen on the bodies of pollinators visiting native plants was Carpobrotus. However, most of the pollen found on the body of pollinators belonged to the species on which they were collected. Similarly, most pollen on native plant stigmas was conspecific. Invasive pollen was present on native plant stigmas, but in low quantity. Conclusions Carpobrotusis highly integrated in the pollen transport network. However, the plant-pollination network in the invaded community seems to be sufficiently robust to withstand the impacts of the presence of alien pollen on native plant pollination, as shown by the low levels of heterospecific pollen deposition on native stigmas. Several mechanisms are discussed for the low invasive pollen deposition on native stigmas. 10.1093/aob/mcn109 KW - bartomeus KW - invasive_plants KW - plant_animal_interactions KW - pollination AU - Bartomeus, Ignasi AU - Bosch, Jordi AU - Vila, Montserrat PY - 2008/06/30/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcn109 ER -